Game apparatus for encouraging children to become more active and exercise

ABSTRACT

A game apparatus that an individual can play which promotes activity and exercise. The game apparatus includes a rod like member produced from a first predetermined material and having a first predetermined shape and a predetermined length. Further included is a guide mechanism produced from a second predetermined material and having a second predetermined shape. The guide mechanism is connected to a predetermined end of the rod like member. Also included is a hoop like member produced from a third predetermined material and having a predetermined diameter. The guide mechanism is engageable with the hoop like member at the predetermined end of the rod like member to guide and move such hoop like member in a predetermined direction over a predetermined surface.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is closely related to and claims benefit from U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/695,987 filed on Jul. 5,2005.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to a game apparatus forchildren and, more particularly, the invention relates to a gameapparatus for children which promotes activity and exercise while theyare playing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Sports related games which promote activity and exercise for childrensuch as baseball, basketball, football, etc. have been in existence formany years. However, many of the sports related games require multiplechildren to play. Furthermore, these type of games have become organizedand structured among communities, such that children playing with otherneighbor children has almost become a thing of the past.

Another hindrance to children is the conception of video games thatinvolves almost no activity or exercise for children. Many children havebecome content to spend countless hours in front of the televisionplaying video games instead of enjoying activities outdoors. The lack ofexercise has lead to many children becoming overweight and/or physicallyunhealthy.

A need exists for a game apparatus that promotes activity and exercisefor one or more children while providing an alternative to organizedsports and video games.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention provides a game apparatus for anindividual to play which promotes activity and exercise. The gameapparatus includes a rod like member produced from a first predeterminedmaterial and having a first predetermined shape and a predeterminedlength. Also included is a guide mechanism produced from a secondpredetermined material and having a second predetermined shape. Theguide mechanism is connected to a predetermined end of the rod likemember. Still further included is a hoop like member produced from athird predetermined material and having a predetermined diameter. Theguide mechanism is engageable with the hoop like member at thepredetermined end of the rod like member. The guide mechanism guides andmoves the hoop like member in a predetermined direction over apredetermined surface.

A second aspect of the present invention relates to a method of playinga game apparatus which has at least one rod like member, at least oneguide mechanism connected to one end of the rod like member and at leastone hoop like member. The method includes the steps of engaging theguide mechanism disposed at such one end of the rod like member with thehoop like member and guiding and moving the hoop like member in apredetermined direction over a predetermined surface.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention toprovide a game apparatus which promotes activity and exercise forchildren that can be played by one or more players.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatuswhich promotes activity and exercise for children that can offer analternative to playing organized sports or video games.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a gameapparatus which promotes activity and exercise for children that willdecrease the number of unhealthy and/or overweight children due to alack of exercise.

In addition to the above described objects and advantages of the presentinvention, various other objects and advantages of the game apparatuswill become more readily apparent to those persons skilled in such artfrom the following more detailed description, particularly, when suchdescription is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figuresand with the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the game apparatus of the presentinvention particularly showing how the guide mechanism is connected tothe rod like member according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the game apparatus, shown in FIG. 1,particularly showing how the guide mechanism is used to control themovement of the hoop like member; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the game apparatus and an individualillustrating how it can be used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND VARIOUS ALTERNATIVEEMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the invention,it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity, identical components,having identical functions have been identified with identical referencenumerals throughout the several drawing figures.

Referring now, more particularly, to FIGS. 1 through 3 of the drawings,there is illustrated a game apparatus, generally designated 10, that anindividual can play which promotes activity and exercise. The gameapparatus 10 includes a rod like member 12 produced from a firstpredetermined material and having a first predetermined shape and apredetermined length.

The game apparatus 10 also includes a guide mechanism 14 produced from asecond predetermined material and having a second predetermined shape.The guide mechanism 14 is connected to a predetermined end 16 of the rodlike member 12.

The game apparatus 10 still further includes a hoop like member 18produced from a third predetermined material and having a predetermineddiameter. The guide mechanism 14 is engageable with the hoop like member18 at such predetermined end 16 of the rod like member 12. The guidemechanism 14 guides and moves the hoop like member 18 in a predetermineddirection over a predetermined surface.

The first predetermined material used to produce the rod like member 12is, preferably, selected from a group consisting of wood, metal andplastic. Also, the first predetermined shape of such rod like member 12is, preferably, one of generally round and generally rectangular.

The predetermined length of the rod like member 12 is, preferably,generally between about 24 inches and 36 inches. In addition, such rodlike member 12, preferably, has a width of generally between about oneinch and two inches and a thickness of generally between about onequarter inch and three quarter inch.

The second predetermined material used to produce the guide mechanism 14is, preferably, one of metal and plastic. The metal, preferably, used toproduce such guide mechanism 14 is one of aluminum and steel.Furthermore, the second predetermined shape of the guide mechanism 14is, preferably, one of generally semicircular and generally rectangular.

The guide mechanism 14 is, preferably, connected to such predeterminedend 16 of the rod like member 12 by either screws, bolts, or welding.Such guide mechanism 14 is, preferably, curved at both ends 22 and 24thereof so players can better control the predetermined direction suchhoop like member 18 travels.

The third predetermined material used to produce the hoop like member 18is, preferably, one of metal and plastic. In addition, the predetermineddiameter of such hoop like member 18 is, preferably, generally betweenabout eight inches and twelve inches.

In a presently preferred embodiment of the inventive game apparatus 10,the rod like member 12, guide mechanism 14 and hoop like member 18 willbe painted various colors.

Another aspect of the invention includes a method of playing the gameapparatus 10 which has at least one rod like member 12, at least oneguide mechanism 14 connected at the predetermined end 16 of the rod likemember 12 and at least one hoop like member 18. The method includes thestep of engaging the guide mechanism 14 disposed at such predeterminedend 16 of the rod like member 12 with the hoop like member 18. Thenguiding and moving the hoop like member 18 in a predetermined directionover a predetermined surface.

In one embodiment of the invention, the method will include theadditional step of timing how long at least one player is able to keepthe hoop like member 18 moving in such predetermined direction over suchpredetermined surface.

In another embodiment of the invention, the method will include theadditional steps of setting up at least one obstacle course for at leastone player to maneuver the at least one hoop like member 18 through andtiming how long such player takes to complete maneuvering such hoop likemember 18 through such obstacle course.

In still another embodiment of the invention, the method will includethe additional steps of establishing a predetermined distance at leastone player is to keep the at least one hoop like member 18 moving insuch predetermined direction over such predetermined surface and timinghow long the player takes to move the hoop like member 18 thepredetermined distance in the predetermined direction over thepredetermined surface.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the method will include theadditional step of setting up competition between a predeterminedplurality of players and timing how long each player takes to move thehoop like member 18 such predetermined distance in such predetermineddirection over such predetermined surface.

While the presently preferred and various alternative embodiments of theinvention have been discussed in considerable detail above, it should beobvious to those persons who are skilled in the relevant art thatvarious modifications and adaptations of the present invention can bemade without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope ofthe appended claims.

1. A game apparatus for an individual to play which promotes activityand exercise, said game apparatus comprising: (a) a rod like memberproduced from a first predetermined material and having a firstpredetermined shape and a predetermined length; (b) a guide mechanismproduced from a second predetermined material and having a secondpredetermined shape, said guide mechanism connected to a predeterminedend of said rod like member; and (c) a hoop like member produced from athird predetermined material and having a predetermined diameter, saidguide mechanism engageable with said hoop like member at saidpredetermined end of said rod like member for guiding and moving saidhoop like member in a predetermined direction over a predeterminedsurface.
 2. A game apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said firstpredetermined material used to produce said rod like member is selectedfrom a group consisting of wood, metal and plastic.
 3. A game apparatus,according to claim 1, wherein said first predetermined shape of said rodlike member is one of generally round and generally rectangular.
 4. Agame apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined lengthof said rod like member is generally between about 24 inches and 36inches.
 5. A game apparatus, according to claim 4, wherein said rod likemember has a width of generally between about one inch and two inchesand a thickness of generally between about one quarter inch and threequarter inch.
 6. A game apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein saidsecond predetermined material used to produce said guide mechanism isone of metal and plastic.
 7. A game apparatus according to claim 6,wherein said metal used to produce said guide mechanism is one ofaluminum and steel.
 8. A game apparatus, according to claim 1, whereinsaid second predetermined shape of said guide mechanism is one ofgenerally semicircular and generally rectangular.
 9. A game apparatus,according to claim 1, wherein said guide mechanism is connected to saidpredetermined end of said rod like member by one of screws, bolts andwelding.
 10. A game apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said guidemechanism is curved at both ends thereof so that such individual canbetter control such predetermined direction said hoop like membertravels.
 11. A game apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said thirdpredetermined material used to produce said hoop like member is one ofmetal and plastic.
 12. A game apparatus, according to claim 1, whereinsaid predetermined diameter of said hoop like member is generallybetween about eight inches and twelve inches.
 13. A game apparatus,according to claim 1, wherein said rod like member, said guide mechanismand said hoop like member are painted various colors.
 14. A method ofplaying a game apparatus which has at least one rod like member, atleast one guide mechanism connected to one end of said rod like memberand at least one hoop like member, said method comprising the steps of:(a) engaging said at least one guide mechanism disposed at said one endof said at least one rod like member with said at least one hoop likemember; and (b) guiding and moving said at least one hoop like member ina predetermined direction over a predetermined surface.
 15. The method,according to claim 14, including the additional step of timing how longat least one player is able to keep said at least one hoop like membermoving in said predetermined direction over said predetermined surface.16. The method, according to claim 14, including the additional steps ofsetting up at least one obstacle course for at least one player tomaneuver said at least one hoop like member through and timing how longsaid at least one player takes to complete maneuvering said at least onehoop like member through said at least one obstacle course.
 17. Themethod, according to claim 14, including the additional steps ofestablishing a predetermined distance at least one player is to keepsaid at least one hoop like member moving in said predetermineddirection over said predetermined surface and timing how long said atleast one player takes to move said at least one hoop like member saidpredetermined distance in said predetermined direction over saidpredetermined surface.
 18. The method, according to claim 17, whereinsaid method includes an additional step of setting up competitionbetween a predetermined plurality of players and timing how long eachplayer takes to move said at least one hoop like member saidpredetermined distance in said predetermined direction over saidpredetermined surface.